Investments in new technology areas such as collaboration and mobility are important to companies' long-term competitiveness -- and the pressure is on IT to deliver.

Collaboration and mobile technologies are key contributors to creating a competitive advantage for long-term corporate sustainability, according to Computerworld's most recent "State of the Enterprise" survey.

IT departments are under pressure to manage users' expectations about how quickly these and other new technologies can be deployed as well as the business outcomes they will produce. But there's evidence that IT is becoming more adept at connecting technology investments -- even for infrastructure -- with business goals.